Surname Weikardt - Meaning and Origin
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Weikardt: What does the surname Weikardt mean?
The last name Weikardt is of German origin and is derived from the German word “wiegekart,” which means “wagon maker.” The name first appeared in the 1600s in various regions of Germany such as Bavaria, Pfalz, and Hohenzollern. It is possible the name was first given to someone who was employed as a wagon maker by a noble or royal family.
The Weikardt name is today found primarily in the U.S., where it immigrants from Germany settled in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1930s, the name was most common in Pennsylvania, a popular port of entry for German immigrants, and other Eastern states where many Germans settled.
Today, descendants of the Weikardt family can be found all over the world, especially in the U.S. and Germany. Generally, the name is a reminder of the dedication and hard work of those early German wagon makers who made such a significant contribution to the industries, transportation, and commerce of the era.
Order DNA origin analysisWeikardt: Where does the name Weikardt come from?
The last name Weikardt is most commonly found in Germany today. The name is derived from the Old High German 'wīh', meaning 'holy' and 'cart', meaning 'hard', or 'brave' or 'strong'. Historically, the family name was found in numerous areas of Germany, including Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, and Lower Saxony.
While the vast majority of Weikardts living today are still in Germany, there are some with ancestral ties to the name scattered throughout Europe, North America, and even Australia. With the increase in global mobility over the last century, the name has spread to many different countries.
Within Germany, the last name is most common in northern parts of the country, particularly in the states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Saxony-Anhalt. Further south, the name is relatively rare, and is found only in small, scattered pockets.
Weikardts living in other countries often have German ancestry. In North America, most Weikardts are located in the United States but some can be found in Canada as well. In Europe, the name is still relatively common in Germany, but there are some pockets in other countries, such as the Netherlands, Switzerland, and England.
Despite its more widespread distribution across the world, the last name Weikardt is still most frequent in Germany, where the oldest records of the name originate from. Whilst ancestral ties may trace the name back to Germany, Weikardts now have a global presence.
Variations of the surname Weikardt
The surname Weikardt can be spelled in a variety of ways, depending on the region the name originated from and the time period.
The more common spellings of Weikardt include Weikart, Weikhard, Weikhardt, Weichert and Weigert.
Variant spellings, specific to areas of Germanic Europe, include Wieckard, Wieckhard, Wieghard, Wigschmidt, Wiggers, Wiechmann and Wilcken.
Weikardt can also have other surnames of the same origin, with diffrent spellings, coming from the Weikhardt line. These include Weakhand, Weakheart, Weakheath, and Wyke.
The surname is known to have originated from an occupational name for a blacksmith, and is derived from the old Germanic term “wich” meaning “battle” or “combat” and “hart” meaning “strong” or “brave.”
In some cases, the surname of Weikardt may have been derived from a personal name, with Wigbrandt and Wigbald being early variants of Weikardt.
Weikardt is proven to be a substantial surname, found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other areas of Europe, as well as some United States Census records.
It is uncertain when and how Weikardt migrated from its European origins, but records showing the name in the United States date back to the 1700s.
With so many variants and surnames of the same origin, it is clear that the Weikardt name has a longstanding history.
Famous people with the name Weikardt
- Sydney Weikardt (American Basketball Player)
- Michael Weikardt (German Actor)
- August Weikardt (German Theologian)
- Jakob Weikardt (German Prosthodontist, Professor, and Researcher)
- Elli Weikardt (German Actress and Singer)
- Louisa Weikardt (Montana Liberation Orator and Women Rights Activist)
- Chris Weikardt (British Actor)
- Sabine Weikardt (German Politician)
- Wilhlem Weikardt (Prussian Commander in World War I)
- Oskar Weikardt (German Chemistry Professor)
- Heinz Weikardt (German Composer, Arranger, and Conductor)
- Günter Weikardt (German Painter)
- Lou Weikardt (American Politician)
- Arlene Weikardt (American Painter)
- Martha Weikardt (German Literary Critic)
- Emanuel Weikardt (German Scientist)
- Siegfried Weikardt (German Physicist)
- Frank Weikardt (German Craftsman)
- Julius Weikardt (German Entrepreneur)
- Adam Weikardt (German Priest)